3D scanned action figure head

 I was testing some new AI models, and put together some tools that let me create 3d models from photos. This is "less accurate" than photogrammetry, but more realistic... basically it "fudges the details" in typical ai-slot fashion.

I'm using ReconViaGen Pixal3D and TRELLIS.2-4B along with Qwen3.8-27B as an agent with hermes-agent

Before we even had our son, I told my wife that I had one requirement before we had a kid... That before he was old enough to appreciate it, we had to get a 3d printer...

There are many reasons, but the biggest for me, was that I wanted to print custom action figures for "future child".

Being able to 3d scan his face, add compatible sockets to make it compatible with the other action figures I print for him so  I could make a "personalized action figure" the same scale as all his other Fortnite action figures... is amazing...

Can you imagine having an action figure of yourself to play and fight with all your other favorite super heroes and villains?

I can't wait for when he's old enough to understand how insane this is... lol for now its just normal, and that's how it should be, IMO.

Novation Circuit

My son has had an interest in music for a long time...

So much so, that I had been brainstorming the best way to introduce him to music, without forcing him to take lessons in something.

His favorite type of music is electronic/techno/edm, so I decided to research groovebox's (a box that lets you do drums, synth, and easily make music.

I landed on the Novation Circuit 

The colorful lights, pleasant buttons, and easy to understand sequencer (the lights go left to right to show time) was perfect.

But alot of the really cool synths were only supported on their newer model, the novation circuit tracks (yea... their naming is stupid)

See the difference? lol

Anyway, I decided to let my local qwen model reverse engineer their synth format, to convert the new format, into the old format so he could play with the cool sounds.

It works "mostly" great, im sure there are bugs, but it works good enough for him... 

Heres the code: https://github.com/spiffomatic64/circuit-tracks-to-og

Talkboy

After watching home alone, our son obviously wanted a talk boy...

Quick hacked this together using my local ai model.

Code: https://github.com/spiffomatic64/talkboy

Subtitle age appropriateness scanner

Our son loves watching tv thats "inappropriate" or for older kids. (I think most kids love this forbidden fruit) 

So I found a few simpsons episodes that were mostly fine... He loved it so much he kept asking for more, so I decided to write an application to use a local AI to scan subtitles and report on age appropriateness based on the how common sense media review stuff 

Code here: https://github.com/spiffomatic64/subtitle_age_rating

It reports on what age its appropriate for, and why

It breaks it down for each category, and gives examples for why it was rated that way. 

It even allows the rating to be "pulled back" if there are enough positive messages to offset the inappropriate content.

It even includes information for each episode from wikipedia and wikisimpsons (the simpsons wiki)

It also add's limitations for its analysis, and gives you a place to add custom notes.

Foniebox

We recently went to Africa (bucket list trip). And in trying to pack light, we didn't want to take our son's toniebox. Since he uses this every night to fall asleep, I wanted an alternative solution.

I created the "foniebox" lol... Using my local AI model (tuned on qwen3.6) I hacked together a quick android app that reads a folder for mp3 files, the shuffles them, and plays them for a set duration, with a configurable "fade out" time to give him time to fall asleep.



Here is the code: https://github.com/spiffomatic64/foniebox

It worked great! We had no issues with sleep the entire 2 weeks in Africa. Which I feel is pretty impressive for an 8 year old.

Locked down youtube player before bed

Our son is very persuasive. He wanted to watch a little youtube before bed, but knew we wouldn't let him just watch youtube-kids (most of what he watches there is minecraft/gaming/etc... not great before bed-time wind-down content)

So in order to convince us, he pitched that he only wants to watch Kurzgesagt an educational youtube channel that he knows we approve of him watching as "calm" content.

and... well... hes smart, because of course I want to let him watch those videos... but we also don't want him up all night... so I threw this fullscreen, kiosk'd android app together that only allows you to play videos from an approved playlist, and automatically shuts down after a specified time.

A parent can put in a special unlock pin to add more time as well.

Code here: https://github.com/spiffomatic64/bedtime-browser

No screenshot because its just a full screen youtube player with parental controls lol

Springtrap DIY Halloween costume

My Son wanted to make this own costume this year. He wanted to be springtrap from fnaf. So we bought some foam, let him pick the outside fabric, and I started "vibe-crafting" with no real plan.

Here is the reference material:

And here is what we ended up with:

Last minute (literally the night before Halloween) I threw together some Led glasses (I knew he wouldn't be able to wear the mask at school, they don't let you cover your face, so the glasses would let him have SOMETHING on his face)

The suit is held together with random wires I ripped out of electronics I salvaged, and everything velcros in the back so he was able to put this on himself at school.

All in all, Im pretty happy with how it turned out.